The second Amendment and you!

So what does the right to bear arms mean to you? Does it mean to tote around any and every type of weaponry to defend yourself with? Does it mean open carry for everyone? Does it mean anyone can own, operate, and possess a weapon regardless of background, training or knowledge? Does it mean responsibly owning, possessing, and operating a weapon for the purpose of recreation, or self defense? That seems to be a huge question into today's 2nd amendment debate. What does the Constitution have to say about the 2nd Amendment?

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Technically, our well regulated militia is the Guard and Reserve components of the various branches of our armed forces, and even then, technically, only the Guard is State ran, funded and supported making it the most eligible candidate for "militia" status. That being said, it has been debated up and down since the inception of our nation. There are many stories and articles about people open carrying and displaying their right to bear arms. Most of them are troubling, some are thought provoking, but most are jut trying to get their point across: we have the right to bear and keep arms thanks to the 2nd Amendment.

The debate!

Technically speaking, only the members in the Guard and Reserve may operate and maintain arms, and in all actuality, they should be able to keep them in their own homes. Open carry activists claim that all citizens could be deemed a well regulated militia, or that if nothing else, they can't be denied their right to own a gun. Me, personally, and many of us here at the Average Joes Initiative, don't care one way or the other. What concerns us is that if you are going to own, possess, and operate a firearm, or any other type of weapon, since arms can be defined as any armament, that you do so responsibly, and reasonably.

Why is it so much to ask to obtain use of force training, minimum safety use training, a background check, and to either register the weapon, or obtain a licence of ownership for any and all weapons you may possess or wish to possess? We make everyone get health insurance, car insurance, home insurance, a driver's licence, a degree for certain career fields, why on Earth is it so much to ask to keep and maintain a licence for weapons? The solution is that simple: in order to receive a licence to carry or possess a given weapon type you must pass use of force training, arms safety, minimum competency, and a background check. End of Story.

I will stand here and argue that, technically, no American citizen that isn't part of the National Guard or Reserves should be allowed to possess any form of armament whatsoever, unless their job specifies it. I will also argue that, as far as the nation is concerned, and most American citizens, possessing fire arms isn't an issue, it's to do so responsibly that needs to be the case. There are too many instances of individuals with all the proper credentials killing each over senseless things, and persons who shouldn't possess armament of any degree having a multitude. The other issue is the ease in which arms can be obtained....legally! Arms regulation shouldn't make it impossible to obtain arms, but it should ensure that responsible individuals are the only ones able to do so!